The Beer Engine

The annual Swanage Railway Diesel Gala and Dorset Beer Festival is a permanent entry in my diary every year ........... I won't bore you with all the locomotive terminology and speak, I'll save that for another day, but needless to say this years bash was highly enjoyable.

The organisers were completely shot to pieces by the non arrival of the main stars of the show due to a loco failure up country. Being a West Country diesel hydraulic anorak I was most disappointed that Warship Class 42 Greyhound would not be attending.

The picture below (at Minehead on the West Somerset Railway) will give you an idea of what I am talking about.

The Swanage Railway did a fantastic job in re-organising the whole timetable and are to be applauded for putting on another splendid gala .......... the beer was magnificent too! It's not often I put all my eggs in one basket, but this year I only sampled beer from one brewery. One, I am ashamed to say, I did not even know existed.

After sampling a pint of Sixpenny Brewery 6D Best Bitter that was it - I was hooked. All magnificent brews (I especially enjoyed the 6D Gold) and when I pass by the village, which I often do, I'll be calling in for some draught cask ale to enjoy at home. The Sixpenny Brewery certainly made up for the lack of a Warship. Cheers!